The Maine Republican says the PAC, called Olympia's List, will encourage Americans to support candidates who work in bi-partisan fashion.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ Seven months after announcing she won't run for re-election because of polarization in Washington, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe has launched a political action committee that supports candidates and elected officials who believe in consensus-building.

The Maine Republican said Tuesday that the PAC, called Olympia's List, will encourage Americans to support candidates who work in bi-partisan fashion.

In announcing her retirement from the Senate in February, Snowe said Washington had become overtaken by a "my way or the highway'' ideology.

Olympia's List has its own website, www.olympiaslist.org , Facebook page and Twitter account.

Snowe says she'll be urging Congress in the coming weeks to work in a bipartisan manner to avoid the looming "fiscal cliff,'' the budget abyss that could result in sharp tax hikes and spending cuts at year's end.